Ten Tips of Christmas: Tip 10

December 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

How to hit the spot with…a tennis ball

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A trigger point is a hyperirritable spot within a taut band of soft tissue. It is called a Trigger Point because it ‘triggers’ a painful response. Trigger points develop when the area is stressed repetitively and chronically, there is postural imbalance, overuse or compensatory movements.

To relieve a Trigger Point apply pressure directly to the sore spot. This temporarily starves the area of oxygen and applies a localised stretch to the spasm. This is where a tennis ball comes in so handy as it can be difficult to palpate and apply pressure to yourself.

Common trigger points are found in the upper trapezius, Quadratus Lumborum, the Piriformis and there are a great number in each calf.

To release these points of pain, lay down on your back, place the tennis ball under the trigger point and RELAX.

Keep the pressure on until the pain decreases. It is perfectly normal to feel like the pain is spreading or to feel a referred pain somewhere seemingly unconnected.

Take just 5 minutes out every day to enjoy some much needed pain relief!

Sarah Franklin, Sports Massage Therapist @ Victory Health and Performance

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The special offer at Shop @ The Foundry for today only

Sports Massage 3 Pack with Sarah Franklin for £200. This includes a full postural assessment and Post Care Advice including further hints and tips that you can perform at home to maximise the benefits from your treatments. Email Sarah to book your first session sarahf@victoryhealthandperformance.com.

Merry Christmas and here’s to a pain free 2012!

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Ten Tips of Christmas: Tip 9

December 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Get Some Good Quality Sleep This Xmas!

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So you’ve survived this year, congratulations! How many nights per week have you slept 8 hours or more? Not many I bet. If you somehow managed to get more than four 8-hour-sleeps per week, well done – you’re in the top 10% of healthy sleepers in London.

But if not, your body’s levels of cortisol – its main stress hormone – have been consistently elevated, lowering your testosterone, your growth hormone and massively increasing your likelihood of gaining body fat and suffering various other stress-related damages!

My challenge for you this Christmas is to commit to getting between 8 and 9 hours sleep for as many nights as possible and drop those cortisol levels for a continuous period. If you start remembering dreams upon waking, you’re doing well.

And for next year, download a cool little (free) iPhone app I found called “Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock.” It listens in when you’re asleep (creepy, I know), records your sleep phases, and adjusts the time of your alarm to wake you when you’re in the lightest phase nearest to your alarm time. It will wake you up feeling much more refreshed, un-stressed and ready for the day.

Sweet dreams!

Richard Thompson, Foundry trainer

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  • Ki Fit device and armband
  • Ki Fit display (so you can monitor your progress throughout the day)
  • 12 months subscription to the Ki Fit online management system

All this for just £240!

Visit us in store or order via email at info@foundryfit.com or call 020 3417 0469 today.

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Ten Tips of Christmas: Tip 7

December 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Being a Bah Humbug isn’t good for the waistline

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It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues.
Abraham Lincoln

Some of you may know I used to smoke. Tsk, naughty Dave, go stand in the corner! I can only tell you that despite hating the feeling of waking up with a mouth like an ash tray it filled a psychological need at that time in my life so I don’t beat myself up about it. I simply asked for help from people close to me, changed the reason for that behaviour and have never looked back.

Smoking was not good for me; but equally I don’t believe being obsessively pious is particularly healthy either. Getting stressed out about our occasional self destructive urges doesn’t help with the behaviour we want to change. Instead we just feel self loathing, elevated stress levels and in my case a healthy dollop of Catholic guilt.

Another perfect example is alcohol. Whilst it’s true that no study has ever proved a causal relationship between moderate drinking and lower risk of death, we do know the two often go together, probably because moderate drinking is something healthy people tend to do, rather than something that makes people healthy. A few drinks can relax us physically and mentally and help with social situations.

“The moderate drinkers tend to do everything right — they exercise, they don’t smoke, they eat right and they drink moderately”

Kaye Middleton Fillmore, a retired sociologist from the University of California, San Francisco.

Foundry director Graeme Marsh delivers a very popular executive seminar entitled “The executive athlete.” It used to be called “Why stress is making you fat, sick and miserable” but we figured that was a bit too blunt. That said, the previous title does get to the crux of the issue. Stress can cause, or is linked to, the following conditions…take a deep breath…abdominal fat, cardiovascular disease, adrenal fatigue, metabolic syndrome, digestive problems, skin problems and rashes, memory loss and poor concentration, hypertension, speeding the progression of HIV/Aids, varicose veins, haemorrhoids and even the dreaded gingivitis. Stress and anxiety and the resulting lack of sleep are far more damaging than the odd glass of wine and mince pie and then feeling guilty about it for days.

Positive coping strategies:

  1. Exercise Regularly.
    This is a bit of a gimme as everyone who comes through our doors will understand to some degree that exercise releases endorphins, the mind-body’s natural painkiller and mood calmer. However even if we can’t make the gym or stick to our exercise programmes over the holiday brisk walking is an excellent alternative. A vigorous 2-3 miles allows us to experience a tangible sense of accomplishment and control and some time out.
  2. Deep Belly Breathing.
    This is easy to do and very relaxing. Try this basic exercise anytime you need to relax or relieve stress.
  • Sit in a comfortable position.
  • Put one hand on your belly just below your ribs and the other hand on your chest.
  • Take a deep breath in through your nose, and let your belly push your hand out. Your chest should not move.
  • Breathe out through pursed lips as if you were whistling. Feel the hand on your belly go in, and use it to push all the air out.
  • Do this breathing 3 to 10 times. Take your time with each breath.
  1. A Gratitude Journal.
    Whilst this might sound a bit New Agey you’d be surprised how effective these can be. Everyone has lain in bed with thoughts racing and felt the panic of being unable to sleep only add to the anxiety. A great strategy is to keep a book by your bedside and just write a few down a few simple things you’re really happy about it life. No matter how bad things get there will always be something positive so set it down, in concrete…or even paper. It can be a very helpful way of reflecting on the positives in life or even to identify the positives in a bad situation.

Damn it, they’re so bloody good I reckon even Chuck Norris has a Gratitude Journal (with one entry repeated on every day: “I am thankful for being Chuck Norris”)

  1. Holy Basil (tulsi).
    Whilst it has demonstrated anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, science is taking a huge interest in a supplement called Holy Basil for its compelling effects on stress. Multiple studies have found that supplementation with various extracts of holy basil decreases stress hormone levels, corticosterone in particular. It’s not recommended for those who are pregnant, nursing or trying to conceive.

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Visit us in store or order via email at info@foundryfit.com or call 020 3417 0469 today.

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Ten Tips of Christmas: Tip 5

December 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Supplement The Winter for a Healthy Festive Season

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It’s easy to think of this time of year as the season of excess…. drinking, eating, partying and late nights. However it can still prove difficult when it comes to winter health, stress management and general sanity. Before spending your money on well-advertised “remedies” for anything, we like to demand evidence of efficacy via replicable, double-blind, randomized trials of sufficient size to produce statistically significant results. Since you’ll be too busy drinking mulled wine to do that we’ve done it for you…

So, to help beat the winter blues, boost your immune system and get a good night’s sleep, here are our Top 5 supplements for the Christmas season (all of which have a strong evidence base behind them).

1. Echinacea, nature’s booster for your immune system

Nature's immune system booster

Whilst the exact mechanism and results for Echinacea are still up for debate, we know that it stimulates and boosts the immune system and is a natural antibiotic.  This is why many people use to treat infections, to combat low resistance to sickness and to enhance the immune system. Research suggests that you bombard your system with Echinacea at the first sign of infection until it’s gone to stand the best chance of reducing your illness.

2. Vitamin D, to beat the winter blues

A large number of studies link low vitamin D levels and influenza, as well as respiratory infections more generally. Alongside its many health benefits, research into vitamin D has also shown that it has the potential to combat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) sometimes referred to as the ‘winter blues’ or ‘winter depression’.  In one study, just five days of treatment with vitamin D (at a dose of 400 or 800 IU per day) was found to improve winter mood.

3. Zinc, your personal guardian vs the common cold

Many studies suggest that zinc may have antiviral properties, and can prevent the formation of certain proteins that cold viruses use to reproduce themselves. The NHS says taking zinc syrup, tablets or lozenges may be an effective treatment for the common cold. A 2011 Cochrane review suggests that taking zinc supplements within a day of the symptoms starting will speed up recovery and lessen the severity of symptoms.

4. Magnesium, for an improved night’s sleep

Want to make the most of a good night’s sleep? Not only will a good night’s sleep enable you to wake rejuvenated and fresh, your body will also have had time to repair and reset your systems. Our bodies use magnesium in more than 300 metabolic reactions. Magnesium helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, steadies heart rhythms, and supports our immune systems. Additionally magnesium regulates blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and enhances metabolism.

Studies suggest that if magnesium deficient people simply add a magnesium supplement to their diet, many health problems, including sleep disorders, could be resolved.  Many people are deficient in magnesium these days, which is exacerbated by alcohol (at the Christmas party), caffeine (for the next day), and sugar (erm…pretty much everything).

5. Valerian, helps you drift off into a deep peaceful sleep

Sleep easy with Valerian tea

Valerian Tea has a mild calming effect that does not usually result in sleepiness the next day. As a sleep aid, valerian seems to be most effective for people who have trouble falling asleep and who consider themselves to be poor sleepers. It also has had good results for people who wake up during the night. Studies have also shown it to be an effective remedy for the reduction of anxiety.

Finally, take a deep breath, relax and enjoy the festive season in the best winter health.

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Special offer at Shop @ The Foundry for today only

Get 25% off our Winter Health supplements package containing Echinacea-First,  D-First, UberZinc, Ubermag and Valerian Plus tea for just £41.

Visit us in store or order via email at info@foundryfit.com or call 020 3417 0469 today.

 

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Ten Tips of Christmas: Tip 3

December 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The unmentionable consequences of overindulging

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If you’ve overindulged the night before, you might find that your stomach doesn’t agree with you the morning after: not much fun! You can take refuge in Alka Seltzer and Imodium; but here’s a more natural way to treat your body and help it to recover from the excesses you’ve subjected it to: intestinal massage.

This technique helps to move any deposits around your bowel and colon if you’ve got a runny tummy or a lot of abdominal gas; or it improves your digestive function if you’re a little constipated. I’ve used it successfully in the past to treat patients with IBS and coeliac symptoms.

When you do this, you must have your hips and knees bent as this reduces any stretch on the abdominal muscles (you want to massage the digestive system, not the muscle) – good positions are either sitting down, or lying on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. It’s probably worth doing this in private as you may produce some pretty odd noises!

The intestine is shaped like a horseshoe, starting at the bottom right of your belly, then up to just under your ribs on the right side, across to the left, and then down to the bottom left. And that’s the direction in which you want to massage it.

Staying relaxed, and breathing gently, use your fingertips, fists or palms to work in small circles, massaging gently at first and then gradually more firmly, working your way up the ascending colon, across the transverse colon, and then down the descending colon.

If you find a blockage, a painful spot, or a pocket of gas, linger there for a little while until it starts to move.

You can do this for as short or as long a period as you like, and as often as you need to… but if you’re doing it properly, you’ll find that your stomach responds and you recover from the gastric symptoms of your hangover much more quickly than usual!

Nell Mead, Rehab Director @  The Foundry and Clinical Director @ Victory Health and Performance

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Visit us in store or order via email at info@foundryfit.com or call 020 3417 0469 today.

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Ten Tips of Christmas: Tip 1

December 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A little tipple at Christmas...?

How to avoid a hangover

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When it came to writing some tips on alcohol intake I was for some reason the team’s first choice. Presumably it is my sommelier level skills in wine appreciation or my understanding of biochemistry that was the reason, rather than my social habits!

Either way, I have been carrying out some extensive field research to help you all best deal with the effects of the inevitable Christmas indulgences that despite best efforts are likely to befoul you at some point this festive season. So, follow my tips below to ensure a good night free of hangovers and prayers to the porcelain god!

  1. Never drink on an empty stomach. This is guaranteed to ensure a precipitous slide into slurring of words and stumbling faster than you can say “Large glass of course!!!”. Food slows the ingress of alcohol and slows down drinking. My solution is to arrive everywhere fashionably late.

    So simple yet so effective

  1. Take a large glass of water with every alcoholic drink. Men should take a pint of water and girls a half. Drink it at the bar when you get your drinks if you feel self conscious. Given that so many hangover symptoms are down to dehydration and the need of our body to shift the burden of dealing with alcohol, you can have a major impact by staying hydrated as you go.
  1. Try to limit the damage where possible. Avoid the sugary cocktails and pints of liquid bread that is beer. Instead aim for low-carb options like dry red wine or a spirit like vodka with a low sugar mixer. Ladies, add soda water to a small glass of wine to make a large glass. I believe this is called a ‘soda spritzer’ though I have never ordered one.
  1. Avoid shots. These always seem like a good idea at the time but rarely are. Highly sugary shots of concentrated alcohol like Jaegermeister will make you feel hideous. Steer clear.
  1. Drink a pint of water before you go to bed. See point 2 above.
  1. Lastly, avoid DORS or Delayed Onset Remorse Syndrome. Remember that it is about having fun and enjoying yourself with your friends and family so have a few drinks and don’t spend the next day feeling bad about it. Move on. Take the time off to get outside, go do something fun, eat good food and forget about it. Life is too short.

Enjoy!!

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The perfect stocking filler and no excuses not to drink water: buy a 1 litre Bobble for £9, down from £12.99, or a 550ml Bobble for £7.50, down from £9.99

Visit us in store or order via email at info@foundryfit.com or call 020 3417 0469 today.

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London’s premier corporate health & fitness seminars

November 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

“Exercise Delusions & Diet Confusions”

The Foundry Health and Fitness

Graeme Marsh at a previous corporate seminar

Drawing upon our slightly geeky passion for health and fitness research (Graeme Marsh and Dave Thomas), our unparallelled sporting excellence (Sarah Lindsay, Evelyn Stevenson, Fiona Pocock & Richard Thompson) and our experience of years working in the corporate environment (Helen Thomas) The Foundry has become renowned for the health and fitness presentations we give to businesses across London.

Our clients this year have included Whistles, Weil Gotshal Manges,  RBS, UBS and Innocent Drinks for the seminars “Building the Executive Athlete” and “Exercise Delusions & Diet Confusions”

UBS Liverpool StreetToday Fitness Industry ‘Statesman’ Graeme Marsh returned to the Liverpool Street offices of UBS, taking England Rugby player Fiona Pocock  with him to help dispel the many confusions and delusions about diet and exercise.

The event was attended by over 90 executives and the feedback so far has been excellent:

Hi Graeme,

I was present at the UBS talk today and just wanted to say thank you very much for the excellent talk.  It was really refreshing to hear someone debunking the corporate and media spin that this country suffers from to such a large extent.

A common theme at all these talks is bewilderment, as evidenced today by the huge number of questions directed at Graeme. The public at large are being bombarded with ever increasing volumes of nutrition and fitness dogma, often from those who lack the understanding (or what Ben Goldacre would call ‘intellectual horsepower’) to interpret evidence correctly.  Even more worrying are those who knowingly ignore, twist, cherry pick, or simply falsify ‘evidence’ in an attempt to sell a catchy concept, product, course, or pill to the end user.

If you are interested in The Foundry coming to your company to cut through the confusion please email Graeme directly at Graeme@foundryfit.com

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